General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

ALL METAL CONSTRUCTION.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

82.0 cm

Width

70.0 cm

Height

114.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Bookbinding

Category

Rounding & backing

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Westman Baker

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Toronto

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

THIS TYPE OF PRESS USED C. MID 19TH C. TO PRESENT.

Canada

WESTMAN & BAKER WAS AN IMPORTANT CANADIAN MFR OF PRINTING & BOOKBINDING EQ., AND LIKELY THE ONLY COMPANY IN CANADA TO PRODUCE BACKING MACHINES DURING THE PERIOD 1890-1922. THEIR PRODUCTS COMPETED FAVOURABLY WITH US AND FOREIGN GOODS, AND WERE DISTRIBUTED BY TORONTO TYPE FOUNDARY (TORONTO,MONTREAL, WINNIPEG, VANCOUVER, AS WELL AS OTHER LARGE PRINTING SUPPLY HOUSES IN CANADA. (REF. 1)

Function

USED TO SHAPE A RIDGE OR SHOULDER ON EACH SIDE OF THE SPINE OF A BOOK, BEFORE THE APPLICATION OF SPINE LINING MATERIAL.

Technical

ROUNDING OF BOOK BACKS PROBABLY WAS NOT POPULAR UNTIL AFTER 1500: UNTIL 1850S A "VICE" AND HAMMER WERE STANDARD TOOLS. IN MID 19TH C. MANUAL BACKERS WERE DEV'D, & THEIR USE CONTINUES. BACKERS ARE USED EXTENSIVELY BY CRAFT BINDERS, AND SOME COMMERCIAL BINDERIES WHERE MORE CONTROL OVER WORK IS REQUIRED. TODAY, IN BOTH EDITION AND LIBRARY BINDING, THE MOST COMMON METHOD IS TO ROUND AND BACK BOOKS IN 2 CONSECUTIVE OPERATIONS IN A ROUNDING & BACKING MACHINE. (REF. 2)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

"WESTMAN/ & BAKER/ MAKERS/ TORONTO, CAN." cast in raised print on machine top.

Missing

NONE- APPEARS COMPLETE.

Finish

BLACK ENAMEL FINISH ON ALL SURFACES, SAVE VICE FACES AND THREADED SHAFT.

Decoration

N/A